Homesickness while traveling overseas: How to overcome it?

Humans are weird. Way too weird! When you’re home, you miss traveling and when you travel you start feeling homesick. Just when you are about the start the trip, you’re so excited, you can’t wait to be there, but a few days down the line in the middle of the trip, you start missing home and family. Homesickness while traveling overseas is quite common and here are some points to help overcome that unhappy feeling.

Why People Feel Homesick

One thing that we need to keep in mind is that everybody feels homesick at some point. It’s just a matter of “when”. If you’re on a long trip (Europe, or Asia) for more than 10 days to a couple of months, there are so many changes that take place. Going to different places sometimes can be a culture shock. This is especially true when you are visiting a country which has very unfamiliar culture, practices and food.

There are several factors such as language, weather, people, etc. that could influence your point of view. Some of these factors may prove challenging to adapt to and that’s when you feel the need to get back to your comfort zone, i.e., miss being at home.

Tips to overcome homesickness while traveling overseas

Travel is about adapting and embracing changes. The world outside your home is beautiful and you must enjoy every bit of your travel time even if you’re homesick. Here are tips to get rid of that feeling.

Go through the pictures and videos on your phone

Just when you start to feel homesick, don’t obsess much over it. Take a look at the photos and videos of your partner, friends, and family members taken on your phone. Spend about 15-20 minutes doing so. This might not completely help you overcome homesickness, but will surely help you make feel better.

Stay Busy

One of the main reasons for homesickness is you spend too much time thinking about how beautiful your life is when you’re home. Don’t overthink. Stay busy. Try to plan your day in the morning and make sure you don’t leave enough room for staying lonely at your hotel/guest house. The more you jam-pack your days with routine activities, the more you will start enjoying your trip. Having days where you go to bed completely exhausted, but full of new experiences, is a day that you will love to reminisce over.

Think Positively

For many, travelling overseas is a dream come true. It’s doesn’t happen very often. So, remind yourself that how far you have come, and how much you have saved for the trip, the sacrifices, the time, and the efforts that you have made to make it happen. Think positively, and your mood will certainly elevate from homesickness while traveling overseas.

Stay in touch with your family members and friends

The best way to take your mind off homesickness is to talk to your family members and friends back in the home country. Technology has made it easier than ever to stay connected. You can Skype, or WhatsApp call your loved ones. If you don’t have an internet connection/Wi-Fi buy an international SIM card. It will allow you to make calls to your home country and use data for a dime.

Connect with new people to overcome Homesickness while traveling overseas

Another reason you feel homesickness is because you’re lonely. There’s nobody to talk to or accompany you. You can overcome the state of loneliness by making new friends, whether in a café, park, or your hotel. This will keep your mind distracted. You can talk to them about your experience in the country, and also talking about your feelings. This will take your mind off the sadness.

Take a group tour

If you’re easy to get the feeling of homesickness, drop the idea of traveling solo. Take a group tour. There are many communities you will find on the internet that conduct group tours. Make like-minded friends, and let them be your company for the whole trip. This will ensure that you scratch the itch of traveling abroad without have much to worry about the feeling of homesickness.

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1 comment

ChandraShekarAugust 26, 2019 - 4:53 pm

Great guidelines on overcoming homesickness.
Honestly I don’t see why one should get home sick amidst all the thrill and excitement of seeing historic places, clicking pics, making new friends.
One will be kept busy from morning to night.. So no time really to brood around
One is never away from Desi khana.. As it’s available in every continent. It’s possible to indulge in it at least once a day.
Once a trip is done it becomes addictive and you get planning for next.
Opens up our perspectives and makes us broad minded